[MPlayer-cvslog] CVS: main configure, 1.1044, 1.1045 Makefile, 1.329, 1.330

[The Wanderer]

Alexander Strasser wrote:

> The Wanderer wrote:
> 
>> Rich Felker wrote:

>>> IMO when the diff is short someone can be expected to read it..
>> 
>> But the diff is not always available ready to hand - it's there
>> when reading the CVS-log mailing list, yes, but not when reading
>> the output of 'cvs log'. For circumstances like that latter, having
>> this kind of explanation can be helpful.

(I'll note here that I was primarily reiterating the context Diego had
given for having descriptive commit messages be usesful, since that had
apparently slipped by unnoticed; prior to testing it out for these two
comments, I'd never had occasion to use 'cvs log' myself.)

> While i see what you mean, i also know it is not true. If you have
> access to cvs log, you usually have access to the repository. That in
> turn means just take the to revisions from the log and let cvs
> produce a diff for it (cvs diff -r<rev1> -r<rev2> <file>).

Yes, it can be done, but it isn't convenient; if you have to go out of
your way for it, then you might as well just go to the mailing list
archives for the patch. The only value of 'cvs log' which I see (not
that I use it much - and here, please reference my .sig) is for getting
an easily referenced overview, loosely analogous to a chronological
changelog; if some of the entries reveal nothing about what change was
actualy made, then even that value is decreased and may disappear
entirely.

> But anyway, cvs log output alone is often suboptimal, as it is only
> per file. So you don't necessarily can see the big picture.

That depends on whether you pass it one filename or multiple filenames.
It is also still better to get a description of what was done in each
change than to not; this would seem to be an argument against there
being any value to 'cvs log' at all, rather than an argument against
needing to provide good descriptions in the commit messages.

-- 
       The Wanderer

Warning: Simply because I argue an issue does not mean I agree with any
side of it.

A government exists to serve its citizens, not to control them.